trimmer router bit selection Makita RT0700c

[johnny]

this is my first router so I have a lot to learn about bit selection and operation .

I would appreciate some help with selection of some suitable 1/4 " bits for constructing a toolchest cabinet.

I have an extremely linited budget so they'l have to be a cheap as chips range like siverline . I know i'd be better off investing in quality for the long term etc etc but its for a single project and thats my budget and thats that I'm afraid

I need some suitable bits for cutting rebates in the ends of 12mm x 50mm oak strips to form drawer sides and also a bit for cutting a channel for the 3.6mm ply drawer bases
I shall probably also need a straight cut bit for edging the 12mm plywood that I'll be using for the case of the toolchest and anything other bits that you think I might need or could be useful for this project


What is the minimum inset from the bottom of the drawer sides that I should I allow in oak , to cut the channel for the 3.6mm ply base so I can maximise internal drawer height ?

 

[Myfordman]

I'd put the groove for the bases up by at least 5mm and make the width 4mm to prevent a tight fit straining the groove.

A 4mm router cutter is going to be very fragile for that job. I'd be looking to groove it with a table saw in two passes to get the width

A 12mm or 1/2" bearing guided cutter will do your edging. You might find a small radius bearing guided rounding over bit useful too.

 

[johnny]

thanks myfordman thats just the advice I was looking for
I do not have a table saw unfortunately and no access to one . I presume that I will only need to slot about 6mm deep as the drawer sides are only 12mm thick.
I intend to construct a router table with fence to do this work so that should give me some stability hopefully.
would something like this do the job
ww.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Silverline-In...hash=item4648251293:m:mppw5x31Qzi6vMDwzyStnHg

I could really use a suggesstion for the bit to cut a rebate in the ends of the 12mm sides . I amguessing a straight cutter would do the job but what length and width ?
johnny

 

[mseries]

A 4mm slotter is good for cutting the drawer bottom groove especially if you can table mount the router. 4mm slotters are also use for biscuit jointing. Slotter is far far better than a 4mm straight cutter, the latter are quite fragile and need care not to snap them

 

[Myfordman]

thanks myfordman thats just the advice I was looking for
I do not have a table saw unfortunately and no access to one . I presume that I will only need to slot about 6mm deep as the drawer sides are only 12mm thick.
I intend to construct a router table with fence to do this work so that should give me some stability hopefully.
would something like this do the job
ww.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Silverline-In...hash=item4648251293:m:mppw5x31Qzi6vMDwzyStnHg

I could really use a suggestion for the bit to cut a rebate in the ends of the 12mm sides . I am guessing a straight cutter would do the job but what length and width ?
johnny

If you are building a table (very good idea!) then as Mseries says, a biscuit slot cutter will be far far better than a fragile 4mm cutter.

If you buy a 12mm top bearing guided cutter as well then you can edge your boards with it as well as do the rebates with the end. The cutting length should be a bit more than your boards are wide.

 

[johnny]

thanks for the suggestion guys . i did see the biscuit cutters but I wasn't sure how I'd mount my trimmer horizontally in order to use one but of course all I'd need to do is place the sides upright against the fence instead of flat on the table
.

Re the edge cutter could you give me a link to a suitable cutter so that I can see exactly what you are proposing I use .thanks

Is this the sort of biscuit cutter you're suggesting
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-4-Biscu...629371?hash=item35f2ac107b:g:r~EAAOSw9r1WCkfE

How do I search for the right one to cut a 4mm wide slot 6mm deep ?

 

[Wuffles]

Silverline router bits?! Wear groin protection.

 

[Myfordman]

Yes that is the biscuit cutter. you set the depth with your router table fence. The bearing it comes with is for use with biscuits.

The top bearing guided cutters are sometimes call template cutters. You might find getting a 12mm one is difficult. 1/2 are dead common.
If you make the drawer sides 1/2" thick life will be a whole lot easier.

 

[johnny]

Yes that is the biscuit cutter. you set the depth with your router table fence. The bearing it comes with is for use with biscuits.

The top bearing guided cutters are sometimes call template cutters. You might find getting a 12mm one is difficult. 1/2 are dead common.
If you make the drawer sides 1/2" thick life will be a whole lot easier.

i cannot change the thickness of the drawers unfortunately because as you can see I've just purchased some very expensive oak at 12mm so I must work it out somehow.
If I could see a picture of the type of cutter that you are referring to I might be able to visualise how the cutter works and the orientation I'll need to fix the trimmer in and how it will need setting up for cutting the groove. Today is probably the first time that I have looked at a router cutter in my life

 

[mseries]

This picture shows a 1/4" slotter set up to scribe a rail in a cupboard door

My router is upside down in the router table with the collet pointing upwards. Here is an example of the cutter,
http://www.screwfix.com/p/trend-biscuit ... -2mm/86342 this is a two wing whereas mine is a four wing. To use this setup for a drawer bottom groove you'd set the fence so that the cutter protrudes by say 6mm, the run the drawer side on it's edge, inside against the fence along the fence

 

[johnny]

wow thats fantastic M thank you. i can use your picture to construct something similar . I presume I could also use this type of setup to cut the drawer runner grooves .? I guess that is a stop in the image which can be set for a consistant part cut .
Thanks for the link ouch ! I shall have to look for an exonomy version lol At least I know what I'm searching for now. :wink:

 

[mseries]

For the runner grooves, which I presume will be about 1/2" wide and about 1/4" - 3/8" deep, I'd use a regular straight cutter. The work piece would be run over the cutter with the face to be cut flat against the table with the fence setting the distance from the bottom edge. Remember not to use too deep a cut, particularly with a low power router, do only about 1/4" inch at a time at most, less with small cutters. Do all the pieces, the raise the cutter and do them all again. If your groove is wider that your cutter, say 5/8" groove but only 1/2" diameter cutter, you can do one pass then adjust the fence to widen it. Again do all the parts first, adjust, then do all the part again.

the stop in the picture is just to stop my sled going too far and getting cut up too much

you may find some more of my routing pictures useful https://flic.kr/s/aHsjHz1jUM

 

[johnny]

thank you Martin that is going to be very helpful. looks like I've got quite a bit of work to do before I cut a single piece for my toolchest. Once I have a router table I should be able to pretty much make anything I want and it will be a lot easier than messing about with bits of melamine and cramps and freehand routing :roll:

I am still undecided whether to have drawer guides or simply to fit dividing partitions to seperate the drawers and act as runners . it would strengthen the case but add a lot of weight
I'll post back when I start constructing the table if I may . i'm sure to have some questions as I build it.
thanks again

 

[mseries]

A router table opens up all sort of possibilities for your router. It'll be safer too and doesn't have to be very sophisticated

 

[johnny]

the oak strips that I have bought are 12mm x 50mm which is a bit tight height wise for the drawers.
I couldn't find any 60mm x 12mm after a week of searching so took the 50mm .

The problem is..... if I fit the drawer bases in the conventional way (option 1) I shall be losing a minimum of 9mm on the internal drawer height which will make it extremely tight to house the tools and tool trays that I intend to fit in the chest.

if I cut a 4mm rebate in the bottom of the fronts and reduce the height of the drawer sides and backs by 4mm (option 2) I could simply glue and pin the 3.6 ply bases on the bottom of the sides and backs and cut a rebate in the fronts to hide the edge of the bases. That would gain me a critical 5mm internal height in the drawers.
Aside from the obvious loss of mechanical strength gained by inserting the ply bases in a channel all round there should still be a similar area of glued surface and I guess I could glue and screw the ply bases to the bottom of the sides and rear rather than glue and pin.

I'm not too hung up about aesthetics as this is intended to be used as a portable utility toolchest on a trolley for mechanics tools not woodworking tools in the workshop .

 

[mseries]

Nowt wrong with method 2 Johnny, so long as it'll be strong enough for the tools, it'll be quicker and easier to get right. Tip: cut the base oversize, glue the drawer together then trim the base flush with the sides and back using your flush trimmer or hand tools

 

[johnny]

thanks Martin thats a relief.
I expect it shouldn't be too hard to use a straight edge bit to trim 4mm off the bottoms of the sides and backs of the drawers.

i thought that weight might be an issue but I'd forgotten that
The 3/8 socket set and rachet spanners ,(which have a combined weight of weigh 2.7kgs) ! :shock: will be in the top compartment sitting on a 12mm thick plywood base which will be rebated into the chest walls.
The tools destined for the drawers are actually quite light ,screwdrivers, pliers, vernier guage, compression tester, vacuum guage, multimeter, wire strippers ,alan keys etc .
The total weight of the chest might be quite heavy but as it will sit permanently on a purpose made trolley it shouldn't be aan issue hopefully